Automatically lubricated and cleaned metal wool machine



C. FIELD Nov. 8, 1932.

AUTOMATICALLY LUBRICATED AND CLEANED METAL WOOL MACHINE Original Filed June 18. 1927 INVENTOR Crosy field BY l'oRNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1932 PATENT OFFICE CROSBY FIELD, O1 BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO BRILLO MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK is AUTOIATICALLY LUBBICATED AND CLEANED METAL WOOL MACHINE Original application filed June 18, 1927, Serial No. 199,682. Divided and this application filed August 3,

1928. Serial My present invention is set forth in mv copending a plication Ser. No. 199,692, filed June 18, 192 ofwhich this case is a division. As in that case, the invention relates to automatic machines for producing metal wool and many of its important features are in the nature ofimprovements which may be used with or in place of related apparatus and parts disclosed in my Patents Nos. 1,608,478 and 1,608,481, dated November 23, 1926.

The combination of the wire feeding and wool cutting instrumentalities is claimed in my application Ser. No. 297 ,314, filed August 3, 1928; while the means for lubricatlngthe bed, wire and cutter and the liquid applying, elastic wiping means to wipe the cut surface of the wire, are claimed in my application Ser. No. 297,318, filed August 3, 1928; the specific combinations of means for lubricating the bed, cutters and wires, together with wiper means for keeping the bed and wires free from excess lubricant and dirt being claimed in this application. In these machines, wire is drawn from a suitable source and is conducted through a series of successively arranged cutting or shaving units which operate upon the wire to produce the metal wool. Each of the cutting units includes a power driven, rotary bed in the form of a disc wheel having a plurality of adjacent grooves, formed in its periphery, in which the wire is tensed and held by friction in a plurality of parallel loops or strands and is carried by the wheel in operative relation to a series of cutters arranged around themriphery of the bed.

The means by which the loops of wire are transferred from one bed groove to another includes a single roller beneath each bed. The transfer roller has parallel grooves corresponding with and in the same plane as the bed grooves, and the path of the wire is such that each length traveling from roller to bed groove lies in the same radial plane with the roller and bed groove, while each strand traveling from bed to guide roller slants across the radial planes.

The knives which produce the shavings or wool are pivotally mounted and yieldingly held against the wire, preferably by suitably arranged weights'adapted to counterbalance the thrust of the wire against the grooving edge of the knife. In normal operation, the knife is self-gauging as to depth of cut, smoothly floating on the wire which it is cutting. 7 q

The diameter and corresponding eripheral length for each bed groove on eacl i wheel is greater than for the preceding groove not only to keep the cut surfaces up to the same level across the periphery, but also to keep the intermediate loops tight on the wheel beds in spite of minute stretching by the 40 to shaving knives that operate on each loop. This is also important because each knife edge extends across a pluralit of adjacent loops and their decreasing t ickness must be compensated for so that each blade may bear upon and cut approximately equal thickness from each loop.

My present invention is of importance in the above or an other machine in which successive loops 0 the same wire must be kept in accurate normally constant engagement with the bottoms of successive grooves either for constant friction or for constant level of the cut surfaces thereof.

In such combination, I employ means for cleaning the wire and the periphery of the beds including the grooves therein. To this end, there may be provided a wiper or pad to engage the adjacent strands of wire on the sides which engage in the grooves. Said wiper may be located in that portion of the loop which extends from the wheel bed to the guide roller. Said devices or wipers may be pivotally supported and are spring pressed, one against the periphery of the bed wheel and the other against the uncut, bearing surface of the wire. Thus all metal particles, dirt and shavings, together with any excess oil are removed from the periphery of the bed wheel and from the wires, thus maintaining machine-like accuracy of positioning and traction ofthe traveling wire. By placing the adjacent strands of wire a considerable distance from each other, that the wiper, which may be of comparatively soft material such as felt, may extend a considerable distance around each strand for effective cleaning.

This feature is of especial importance in combination with the means for automatically supplying cutting oil or cooling agent for the cutters. The cutters are arranged in groups along the periphery of the bed and a plurality of lubricating devices are also located one in front of each group of cutters.

It will be obvious that any such liquid sup plied to the Wire during the time it is being cut by the grooving knives will collect and hold dirt, chips and particles of metal so that the wires and bed groove tend to become caked with it, and unless removed in accordance with my present invention, all accuracy and uniformity of operation would soon disappear.

The above and other features of my invention will be more evident from the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of one of the shaving units, including the rotating traction bed, and illustrates the means for lubricating the wire; it also shows a fixed cutter to remove the slag or other undesirable material from the wire, and cleaners or wipers for the wire and bed;

Fig. 2 is a detail top plan view of the wire cleaners; and

Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the devices of the wire lubricating system.

In my present machine, as in my copending application and in my Patent No. 1,608,481, dated Nov. 23, 1926, referred to above, a single wire 49 tensioned and supplied by a reel or other means not shown, passes toa cylindrical bed 48 formed in the periphery of a traction wheel or disc 52, which is power driven in a manner set forth in my said application. The wire is looped a number of times around the traction wheel and a transfer guide roller 53, in successive parallel grooves 59, 59, etc., and passes from the last groove to suitable traction means which may be another similar unit or may be a power driven traction reel. Knives or cutters. 58, are arranged in series around the upper half of the periphery of the bed and extend transversely of the bed, so that each knife edge operates simultaneously on the adjacent loops or strands of the wire 49. The loops or strands lie in grooves, 59, formed in the periphery of the bed, as indicated in Fig. 3. These grooves constitute cutter beds supporting the wire in operative position for shaving by the knives. The bed wheel is rotated in a direction to carry the wire in one direction loops, without reverse bending, so that the upper halves of the loops advance against the edges of the knives while traveling toward the supply end of the machine. The knives being grooved, as in my above mentioned patents, present V-toothed edges to the wire andthese operate to cut from the Wire a series of separate fiber-like lengths constituting the metal wool product of the machine.

As the loop of wire passes down from groove 59 to the transfer guide roller 53, it slants over and enters a second groove of the series of grooves (50. Said second groove of the transfer roller lies in the same plane as the second groove 59 of the bed wheel, so that the wire in passing back to the wheel from the guide roller 53, is conducted in a plane registering with the second groove 59 of said wheel 52.

Each time the wire is looped around the wheel bed, it is exposed to the cutting edges of all the knives 58, say 40 to 60 or more in number, and accordingly the wire becomes thinner as it advances through the successive loop paths from the first or entrance groove toward the front or exit groove of the bed. In order to have each cutting edge operate simultaneously on the successively thinned strands, it is necessary to have the successive bed grooves and the cutting edge of the knife correspondingly nearer to each other.

I prefer to obtain the gradual decrease in space between the effective surfaces of the beds and the cutting edge of the knife by having the successive bed surfaces formed on circles of successively greater diameter, and if the wheel periphery is approximately cylindrical, this results in decreasing depths for the successive grooves 59. This permits having the cutting edge of each knife 58 arranged to operate substantially in the surface of a cylinder of appropriately larger diameter and, in most cases, approximately parallel with the axis of the bed shaft 52. With this arrangement of decreased depth of the grooves 59, the metal is removed across a cylindrical surface exactly transverse to the lengthwise curvature of the wire so that as the wire becomes flatter, it naturally continues to do all its bending and straightening in the same plane in which it was bent and set by the first groove of the machine, whereas an inclined cut surface would cause a twisting resultant for every change in curvature. As the wire 19 advances successively from one groove to another, the slight increases of diameter of the cutter beds tends to retighten the wire.

The grooving knives, 58, may be like those in my above mentioned patent. They are arranged in groups around the periphery of the bed wheel as indicated in Fig. 1, where the size of the knives is somewhat exaggerated for clearness of illustration. Each knife is supported in a holder or bracket, 295, mounted to swivel about a pivot 296 on a semi-circular frame 297 eXtending adjacent the upper or cutter bed portion of wheel 52 and supported on the main frame 256. Each knife holder has connected thereto a weight, 298,

1,see,eee

which tends to force the cutting edge of the knife toward the wire which is supported in peripheral bed grooves.

Whenparticularly hard spots in the wire reach the knives 58, said knives tend to rise or jump, with the result that they do not produce the desired quality of shavings and in fact, do not do enough cutting of-any kind to be at all effective in removing said hard spots. To take care, of this, I provide for each bed a special cutter or planing knife, 299 (Fig. 1), located preferably in advance of the grooving knives and arranged to operate as a gauge cutter for removing any undue thickness of metal from each loop ofv wire, before it again passes to said grooving knives. A lubricating or cooling agent, such as mineral oil, is supplied to the cutters, by applying it to the strands of wire. Such a lubricating system may include a plurality of lubricating devices, 322 (Fig. 1) one in advance of each group of cutters 58. A pump 323 of any suitable construction is supported on a bracket 324 on the main frame 235 and operates to force the lubricating agent through supply pipes 325 to said lubricating device 322. Preferably, pump 323 operates only when the bed 58 is rotating. Its driving means includes a sprocket 326 on the wheel supporting shaft 232. This sprocket drives a chain 327 connected with a sprocket 328 which rotates the pump shaft 329 and thus operates the pump to force the lubricant through the supply pipe 325 to said lubricatmg devices.

Each lubricating device, 322 (Fig. 3) may include a cup-like element, 330, having secured therein a pad 331, which may be of felt, and

. lubricant.

to which the lubricant is supplied from a chamber 332 in said cup-like element. The lubricating device is held resiliently against the lengths of wire 49 so that as they advance past said lubricatin device, they are wiped by the pad 331, wlnch is saturated with the To resiliently hold said device against the wire, the cup-like element is pivotally supported on a fixed bracket 335, which may be secured to the knife carrying frame 297, and a spring 336 is connected to a pin 337 of the cup-like element 330 and to a pin 338 of the bracket 335 to hold the pad of the lubricating device against the strands of wire. This arrangement enables the lubricating device to be thrown out of action by swinging thecup-like element upwardly about its pivot. To conduct the lubricant from the suppl pipes 325 to the chamber 332, the pivot 333 may be provided with a head 339 having an aperture in which the end of the supply pipe 325 is received. A tube 341 conducts the lubricant or liquid from the aperture of the pivot stud to the chamber 332. Thus with this arrangement, the cup-like element may be swung about its pivot without disturbing the lubricant supply connection.

bed, and it isin this A lubricating device 342 which may be constructed like the lubricating devices 322 is rovided for the planing knife 299, and may be secured to the knife carrying'frame 297.

To clean the grooves 59 in the periphery of the traction beds and also the loops of wire, wipers 344 and 345, respectively (Figs. 1 and 2), are provided at each bed. The wiper 344 is provided with a pad 346 which lies against the periphery of the bed; said pad may be of comparatively soft material, such as felt, so as to embed itself in the grooves. The wiper 345 is also provided with a pad 347, of comparatively soft material, and the loops being spaced considerable distances from each other, the pads engage a considerable portion of the circumference of the wire. The wipers are pivotally supported on a rod 348 extending between the frames 256,256. The wipers may be held in position lengthwise of said rod, in alignment with the bed and the loops of wire, by suitable collars 349. A spring 350 may be located between the wipers to separate them and force the wiper 344 against the periphery of the bed and the wiper 345 against the loops of the Wire. It will be understood that the loops of wire extend from the bed at one side, downwardly towards and around the guide roller 53 and then upwardly back to the portion of the loops where the wipers are preferably located, so that the one may conveniently "engage the periphery of the bed, while the other engages the surfaces of the wire that contact with the bed grooves. Thus the grooves and the wires are kept clean by brushing shavings and dust from each of them between every passage under the grooving knives.

I claim:

1. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters,

a power driven traction rotor having parallel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by successive loops of the same wire, operating to move the wire in cutting relation to said cutters, and a cooperating grooved rotor around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said traction rotor to the next groove, in combination with means for lubricating the cut surfaces of the wires and elastic means for wiping the bed engaging surfaces of the loops at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement.

2. A machine for making metal wool from y wire, including a series of grooving cutters,

a power driven traction rotor having parallel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by successive loops of the same wire, operating to move the wire in cutting relation to said cutters, and a cooperating grooved rotor around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said traction rotor to the next oove, in combination with means for lubrlcating the cut surfaces of the wires and elastic means for wiping the bed grooves at points where the Wire and grooves are out of engagement.

3. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of groov ng cutters, a power driven traction rotor having parallel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by successive loops of the same wire, operating to move the wire in cutting relation to sald cut- .ters, and a cooperating grooved rotor around which all of said loops are tensioned and uided for transfer from one groove of'said traction rotor to the next groove, in combination with means for lubricating the cut surfaces of the wires and elastic means for jwiping the bed grooves and the bed engaging surfaces of the loops at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement.

4. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a power driven traction rotor having parallel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by successive loops of the same wire, operatmg to move the wire in cutting relation to said cutters, and a cooperating grooved rotor around which all of said loops are tensioned- ,and guided for transfer from one groove of said traction rotor to the next groove, in coming surfaces of the loops, at

bination with means for lubricating the cut surfaces of the wires and elastic means for cleaning the bed grooves and the bed engagpoints where the wire and grooves are out of engagement and the wire is passing to the bed from the transfer means.

5. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a power driven traction rotor having parallel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by successive loops of the same wire, operatmg to move the wire in cutting relation to said cutters, and a. cooperating grooved rotor around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said traction rotor to the next groove, in combination with elastic means for wiping the bed engaging surfaces of the loops at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement.

(5. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a. series of grooving cutters, a power driven traction rotor having parallel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by successive loops of the same wire, operating to move the wire in cutting relation to said euttcrs, and a cooperating grooved rotor around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said traction rotor to the next groove, in combinat'on with elastic means for wiping the bed grooves at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement.

7. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a power driven traction rotor having parallel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by said traction rotor to the next successive loops of the same wire, operating to move the wire in cutting relation to said cutters, and a cooperating grooved rotor around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of oove, in combination with elastic means or wiping the bed grooves and the bed engaging surfaces of the loops at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement.

8. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a power driven traction rotor having parallel bed grooves in its'periphery engaged by successive loops of the same wire, operating to move the wire in cutting relation to said cutters, and a cooperating grooved rotor around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said traction rotor to the next groove, in combination with elastic means for cleaning the bed grooves and the bed engaging surfaces of the loops, at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement and the wire is passing to the bed from the transfer means.

9. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a cylindrical rotating cutter bed having arallel bed grooves in its periphery engage b success'vc loops of the same wire, across whic each cutter edge extends, and cooperating grooved rotary guide means around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said bed to the next adjacent groove, in combination with elastic means for wiping the bed engaging surfaces of the loops at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement.

10. A machine for mak ng metal wool from wire, including a-zries of grooving cutters, a cylindrical rotati g cutter bed having parallel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by successive loops of the same wire, and cooperating grooved rotary guide mcans around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said bed to the next adjacent groove, in combination with elastic means for wiping the bed grooves at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement.

11. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, acylindrical rotating cutter bed having parlel bed grooves in its periphery engaged by successive loops of the same Wire, across which each cutter edge extends, and cooperating grooved rotary guide means 'around which all of said loops are tensioned and gu ded f or transfer from one groove of said bed to the next ad jacentgroove, in combination with elastic means for wiping the bed grooves and bed engaging surfaces of the loops at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement.

12. A machine for making metal wool from Ill wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a cylindrical rotating cutter bed having arlel bed grooves in its periphery engage by successive loops of'the same wire, across which each cutter edge extends, and cooperating grooved rotary guide means around which" all of said loops are tensioned and uided for transfer fromone groove of said ed to the next adjacent groove, in combination with elastic means for wiping the bed grooves and bed engaging surfaces of the loops, at points where the wire and grooves are out of engagement and the wire is passing to the bed from the transfer means.

13. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a cutter bed having parallel grooves and means for passing the same wire successively into engagement with adjacent grooves in operative relation to said cutters, the return portions between the grooves passing freeof said bed to expose the bed engaging surfaces of the wires and spaced apart to afford substantial spaces between them, in combination with elastic means for wiping said exposed surfaces of the wire.

14. A machine for making metal wool from wire; including a series of grooving cutters, a cutter bed having parallel grooves and means for passing the same wire successively into engagement with adjacent grooves in operative relation to said outters, the return portions between the grooves passing free of said bed to expose the bed engaging surfaces of the wires and spaced apart to afford substantial spaces between them, in combination with elastic means for wiping said exposed surfaces of the wire and said bed grooves.

15. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a cutter bed having parallel grooves and means for passing the same wire successively into engagement with adjacent grooves in operative relation to said cutters, the return portions between the grooves passing free of said bed to expose the bed engaging surfaces of the wires, in combination with elastic means for wiping said exposed surfaces of the wire.

16. A machine for making metal wool from wire, including a series of grooving cutters, a cutter bed having parallel grooves and means for passing the same wire successively into engagement with adjacent grooves in operative relation to said cutters, the return portions between the grooves passing free of said bed to expose the bed engaging surfaces of the wires, in combination with elastic means for wiping said exposed surfaces of the wire and said bed grooves.

17 A machine for making metal wool including grooving knives, a circular rotating bed around the periphery of which is conducted a wire to form a plurality of loops,

said loops extending away from and back to the bed at one side thereof, means to rotate said bed, and a wiper toen age the loopsof WlIe before they return to t e bedto remove dirt or shavings therefrom.

18. A machine for making metal wool in- 7 eluding a circular rotating bed having a groove 1n.1ts perlphery in which the wire lies to be advanced by the rotation of said bed,

cutters at the periphery of the bed to engage riphery of said bed to engage the wire, means to rotate said bed, a device to wipe dust or shavings from the grooves, a device to wipe dust or shavings from the loops of wire before they re-enter the grooves of the bed, the loops of wire extending from the bed at one side to the guide roller and back to the bed from the guideroller, said wipers being located in the loo s so that one may engage the periphery o the bed and the other the wire as it passes to the bed, and means to press one of said devices against the periphery of the bed and the other against the wire.

eluding a circular rotating bed, said bed having grooves, a guide roller at one side of the 20. A machine for making metal wool inperiphery of said bed, the wire being conducted in adjacent loops around said bed and said guide roller and engaging in the grooves of said bed, a cutter at the periphery of said bed to engage the wire, means to rotate said bed, a device to wipe dust or shavings from the bed grooves, a device to wipe dust or shavings from the wire, and means to press one of said devices against the periphery of the bed and the other one against the wire.

21. In a machine ofthe class described, a cylindrical rotating cutter bed, having grooves in its periphery to receive successive loops of a length of wire, cooperating rotary guide means around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said bed to the next adjacent groove, and means arranged to wipe and clean the groove-engaging surfaces of the wire and the grooves of the cutter bed at a point where the transfer guide keeps the.

tensioned loops out of contact with the grooves.

22. In a machine for making metal wool from wire, which includes a series of cutters, a cylindrical rotating cutter bed having peripheral grooves engaged by successive loops of a single length of wire, a cooperating grooved rotar guide means around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said bed to the next adjacent groove, means for wiping the grooves of the cutter bed and the wire, said wiping means comprising a pivoted wiping element adapted for engagement with the grooves of the cutter bed at a point in advance of that point at which the wlre enters said grooves and a second pivoted wiping element adapted for engagement with the wire at a point between the rotary guide means and the cutter bed.

23. In a machine for making metal wool from wire, which includesa series of cutters, a cylindrical rotating cutter bed having peripheral grooves engaged by successive loops of a single length of wire, a cooperating grooved rotary guide means around which all of said loops are tensioned and guided for transfer from one groove of said bed to the next adjacent groove, means for wiping the grooves of the cutter bed and the wire, said wiping means comprising a pivoted wiping element adapted for engagement with the grooves of the cutter bed, at a point in advance of that point at which the wire enters said grooves, a second pivoted wiping element adapted for engagement with the wire at a point between the rotary guide means and the cutter bed and means interposed between said wiping elements to cause them to resiliently engage the cutter bed and the wire.

' 24. A machine for cutting metal wool from wire, successively operating groups of grooving cutters, and rotary, peripherally-grooved power-driven traction means for feeding the wire in cutting relation to said successive groups of grooving cutters, said traction means having the wire tensioned about and in engagement with only a portion of its circumference, in combination with means to apply liquid to the cut surfaces of the wire; and means to wipe the surfaces of the wire at points where it is out of engagement with the traction grooves.

25. A machine for cutting metal wool from wire, successively operating groups of grooving cutters, and rotary, peripherally-grooved power-driven traction means for feeding the wire in cutting relation to said successive groups of grooving cutters, said traction means having the wire tensioned about and in engagement with only a portion of its circumference, in combination with means to apply liquid to the cut surfaces of the wire; and means to wipe the surfaces of the wire at points where it is out of engagement with the traction grooves; and means to wipe said grooves at points where they are not engaged by the wire.

26. A machine for cutting metal wool from wire, successively operating groups of groov- July, 1928.

CROSBY FIELD. 

